The next big thing – Peruvian Cuisine at Ceviche
There’s so much about Peru you don’t know. Let’s start with their cuisine. Follow my Peruvian journey at Ceviche located in the heart of DIFC.
How many times have I been given the opportunity to eat fish and politely declined simply because I hate the smell? Everytime. And that’s just cooked fish. Don’t even get me started on their raw counterparts. But lo and behold, Ceviche managed to change that, and how?!
The signature dish of the restaurant and the Peruvian national dish – Ceviche Clasico – at first seemed like a deconstructed sushi, but turned out to be an absolute surprise for my sensitive olfactory nerves.
Tender white fish is marinated in lime juice, coriander and onions which adds a fragrant touch to the Ceviche. It is served over a base of lime juice marinade with sweet potato pieces that cut through the acidity, giant white Peruvian corn choclo, and crispy cancha corn-nuts.
Every ingredient of the dish highlights a wonderful aspect of Peruvian cuisine and the flavors of Latin America.
Fish lover or not, I would definitely recommend this dish to everybody who visits the restaurant.
You can also try out the other Ceviche variants (or all of them) and they won’t fail to impress!
The Japanese have sushi, while the Peruvians have Causa. The Causa Limeña, which means Causa from Lima, is a sushi lookalike made from chilled mashed potato instead of Japanese seaweed and rice. It features pepper and avocado in its heart and is topped with tender shrimp and drizzled with chilli cream and olive sauce.
The chilled lemony potato just melts in your mouth and the shrimps have that delicious brunch that makes you keep wanting more. The chilli cream and olive sauce bring a pretty and contrasting melange of orange and purple to your plate.
You can also choose to go for the chicken or veg variants of this starter.
Ever heard of Lucuma? Well, if you are from the continent of South America, then you definitely would have.
This Peruvian fruit is much like a chickoo, only larger, and gives out a creamy texture. Sweet and slightly corn like, the Lucuma managed to turn itself into a wonderfully rich, sweet and comforting milkshake. And the whipped cream on top is just heavenly.
Fondly referred to as the Peruvian biryani, this Arroz Con Pollo comes with a decadent piece of chicken leg over a bed of fragrant coriander flavored green rice. Dotted with crunchy peppers and carrots, the rice offers a lusciously comforting appeal. And 27th juicy meat falling right off the bone, the chicken is as tender as can be.
This one is a must have. Totally recommend!
Spice up your palate with Peruvian chili peppers at Ceviche. Locally known as Aji, each of these chili peppers has a distinct spice level, texture and use in Peruvian cuisine.
The small red one at the forefront is the hottest little piece. This Aji Limo is used in the national Ceviche of Peru.
Aji Panca, the dried one, is mildly spicy and often ground into a paste which is later infused in preparation of various dishes. This is the most commonly used chili pepper.
Aji Amarillo is again mildly hot and used as a chili cream in signature Peruvian dishes.
Rocoto, the round red one, looks like a bell pepper and makes a powerful hot sauce.
Head over to Ceviche and try out these hot and spicy peppers in authentic Peruvian dishes.
After spicy, let’s talk about something sweet. Our Peruvian meal ended with Semisfera De Lucuma which was essentially lucuma fruit ice cream covered in chocolate. The fun part was the cornflakes garnish adding a crunchy bite and a dollop of meringue balancing the crunch with a creamy twist. And don’t miss the pretty kumquat.
The perfect end to a culinary journey, this dinner took us on a colorful and flavor filled ride across the Peruvian vibe.
